Liquid crystal display devices are commonly used in calculators, watches, electronic thermometers, and the like. Generally information is presented numerically or in analog form such as a bar graph. Conventional numeric displays provide an accurate value, but reading the numeric display becomes difficult when displayed values move quickly between higher and lower values. For these situations an analog bar graph display device is easier to read.
LCD bar graphs are analog displays having a plurality discrete segments which represent quantitative increments, i.e, a scale on the graph. Increasing the number of segments increases the resolution of the bar graph, but at the expense of increasing the overall length of the bar graph. For example, a bar graph having 100 segments provides 1% step increments from 0 up to full scale. Scales with this resolution are generally 31/2 to 4 inches long. Attempts to reduce the overall length of the high resolution bar graphs by reducing the width of each segment is generally limited by economical considerations for low cost displays and by the difficulty in visually resolving the small increments. While curving the path of the display or folding it back on itself condenses the display into a smaller area, it raises the problem of defining the path of the display so viewers will know what to expect. This is difficult because the drive circuits and lead patterns prevent a display of the path outline in close proximity to the bar graph display where it will do the most good. It is also valuale major pickets available to provide an easy understanding of the display position.